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subsidiary department of economics。
All this applies with gradually lessened force to the other
vocational schools； occupied with training for occupations that
are of more substantial use to the community and less widely out
of touch with the higher learning。 In the light of their
professions on the one side and the degree of their fulfilment on
the other； it would be hazardous to guess how far the university
directorate in any given case is animated with a spontaneous zeal
for the furtherance of these 〃practical〃 aims which the
universities so pursue； and how far on the other hand it may be a
matter of politic management； to bring content to those
commercially…minded laymen whose good…will is rated as a valuable
asset。 These men of substance have a high appreciation of
business efficiency a species of self…respect； and therefore
held as a point of honour and are consequently inclined to
rate all education in terms of earning…capacity。 Failure to meet
the presumed wishes of the businessmen in this matter； it is
apprehended； would mean a loss of support in endowment and
enrolment。 And since endowment and enrolment； being the chief
elements of visible success； are the two main ends of current
academic policy； it is incumbent on the directorate to shape
their policy accordingly。
So the academic authorities face the choice between scholarly
efficiency and vocational training； and hitherto the result has
been equivocal。 The directorate should presumably be in a
position to appreciate the drift of their own action； in so
diverting the university's work to ends at variance with its
legitimate purpose； and the effect of such a policy should
presumably be repugnant to their scholarly tastes； as well as to
their sense of right and honest living。 But the circumstances of
their office and tenure leave them somewhat helpless； for all
their presumed insight and their aversion to this malpractice；
and these conditions of office require them； as it is commonly
apprehended； to take active measures for the defeat of learning；
hitherto with an equivocal outcome。 The schools of commerce；
even more than the other vocational schools； have been managed
somewhat parsimoniously； and the effectual results have
habitually fallen far short of the clever promises held out in
the prospectus。 The professed purpose of these schools is the
training of young men to a high proficiency in the larger and
more responsible affairs of business； but for the present this
purpose must apparently remain a speculative； and very
temperately ingenuous； aspiration； rather than a practicable
working programme。
NOTES：
1。 〃Our professors in the Harvard of the '50s were a set of
rather eminent scholars and highly respectable men。 They attended
to their studies with commendable assiduity and drudged along in
a dreary； humdrum sort of way in a stereotyped method of
classroom instruction。。。
〃And that was the Harvard system。 It remains in essence the
system still the old； outgrown； pedagogic relation of the
large class…recitation room。 The only variation has been through
Eliot's effort to replace it by the yet more pernicious system of
premature specialization。 This is a confusion of the college and
university functions and constitutes a distinct menace to all
true higher education。 The function of the college is an
all…around development； as a basis for university
specializations。 Eliot never grasped that fundamental fact； and
so he undertook to turn Harvard college into a German university
specializing the student at 18。 He instituted a system of
one…sided contact in place of a system based on no contact at
all。 It is devoutly to be hoped that； some day； a glimmer of true
light will effect an entrance into the professional educator's
head。 It certainly hadn't done so up to 1906。〃… Charles Francis
Adams； An Autobiography。
2。 The college student's interest in his studies has shifted from
the footing of an avocation to that of a vocation。
3。 So； e。g。； in the later eighties； at the time when the
confusion of sentiments in this matter of electives and practical
academic instruction was reaching its height； one of the most
largely endowed of the late…founded universities set out avowedly
to bend its forces singly to such instruction as would make for
the material success of its students； and； moreover； to
accomplish this end by an untrammelled system of electives；
limited only by the general qualification that all instruction
offered was to be of this pragmatic character。 The establishment
in question； it may be added； has in the course of years run a
somewhat inglorious career； regard being had to its unexampled
opportunities； and has in the event come to much the same footing
of compromise between learning and vocational training； routine
and electives； as its contemporaries that have approached their
present ambiguous position from the contrary direction； except
that； possibly； scholarship as such is still held in slightly
lower esteem among the men of this faculty selected on grounds
of their practical bias than among the generality of academic
men。
4。 〃And why the sea is boiling hot； And whether pigs have wings。〃
5。 Cf。 Adam Smith on the 〃idle curiosity。〃 Moral Sentiments； 1st
ed。； p。 351 ； esp。 355。
6。 So； a man eminent as a scholar and in the social sciences has
said； not so long ago： 〃The first question I would ask is； has
not this learning a large part to play in supplementing those
practical powers； instincts and sympathies which can be developed
only in action； only through experience？。。。 That broader training
is just what is needed by the higher and more responsible ranks
of business； both private and public。。。。 Success in large trading
has always needed breadth of view。〃
7。 Cf。； e。g。； Report of a Conference on Commercial Education and
Business Progress； In connection with the dedication of the
Commerce Building； at the University of Illinois； 1913。 The
somewhat raucous note of self…complacency that pervades this
characteristic document should not be allowed to lessen its value
as evidence of the spirit for which it speaks。 Indeed； whatever
it may show； of effrontery and disingenuousness； is rather to be
taken as of the essence of the case。 It might prove difficult to
find an equally unabashed pronouncement of the like volume and
consistency put forth under the like academic auspices； but it
does by no means stand alone； and its perfections should not be